The crackdown came 10 months after the introduction of new legislation.

Inspector Ed Turner, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “It is always disappointing to find that anyone has risked their life and the lives of other innocent road users by driving whilst using a mobile phone.

“Whether drivers are making calls, texting or going online, the risk is all the same, and the chance of a collision is 25 times higher.

Cleveland Police took part in a national campaign to clamp down on drivers using mobile phones (Image: Ian Cooper)

“We will continue these operations to identify those who think it is acceptable to risk their lives, despite the increased penalties brought in last year, and we will educate wherever we can.”

He added: “Being distracted at the wheel is one of the four main contributory factors in fatal or serious road traffic collisions and it is an unnecessary risk to take.”

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Since the introduction of the new laws on March 1 and December 31 last year, officers across Cleveland and Durham issued 454 tickets, compared to 698 tickets during the same period in 2016.

Research has found that being distracted by a phone while driving, regardless of whether it is being used to make calls, messages or going online can make a driver up to 25 times more likely to be involved in a collision.